It all started with 'Let's get lost in Istanbul'
- Sal Schmidt
- Nov 13, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 2
Adalar, Princes' Islands - One night It all started with 'Let's get lost in Istanbul'. It was Friday at noon on the 22nd of October. This weekend reminded us why we travel.
Found the first ferry, and two hours later, we were in Adalar, one of the nine Princes' Islands of Istanbul. We thought it was about a half-hour cruise...
Our ferry ride with Beşıktaş Iskelesi Ferry
Very comfortable and spacious ferry to Adalar, one of the Princes' Islands, in just under 2 hours, you arrive. You first board in Beshiktas and make a few stops along the Bosphorus, where you can enjoy beautiful views of Istanbul before heading to the island.
You also have a catering service that offers juice, coffee, tea, and a snack.
Beware, these are chargeable and quite expensive at 50 TRY for a juice and a basic toasted panini.
The ferry ticket costs only 15 TRY (AUD 1.60), making it a very cheap way to reach the island. You can spend a day easily strolling around and enjoying the dining on Adalar. However, our story was a little different.
The island was a nice, calm escape from the intensity of Istanbul, with only electric transport, think Hamilton Island, QLD, Australia.
Time for lunch. After a quick Google search, we found a secret garden restaurant called 'Secret Garden Restaurant Büyükada', where we enjoyed excellent Turkish food.
After lunch, we found Palya Cafe, a cosy bar where we enjoyed a Shisha and soaked up the view before our ferry home.
We started chatting away with our delightful waiter, Hedayat. He recently came over from Afghanistan, listened intently to his stories, and talked about the power of positivity.
After meeting a few couples/families from Iran (along with our new furry friend) and taking some happy snaps, chatting via Google Translate, we decided to book a hotel, AscotBBüyükadayukada, which we did instantly via Hotels.com.
Checked in, and it was time to try Liman Restaurant, where we had passed earlier. With live music and being a Turkish grill, we were not disappointed.
The next day,y we were up and about (in the same clothes) to explore the beautiful architecture and views of the island. Found a lovely boutique to purchase new clothes, as it's starting to get chilly, so it's time to stock up on winter clothes.
Another delicious lunch back at Liman Restaurant, the same restaurant from the night before, to the ferry home (connecting with more lovely Iranians) during the sunset over the Bosphorus
A perfect getaway to Adalar, one of the nine Princes' Islands in Istanbul.
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